Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
WHEREAS, Plant City is the winter strawberry capital of the world, with about 13,000 acres grown annually by members of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association; and
WHEREAS, since 1930, the Florida Strawberry Festival has united the community by bringing together people to honor farmers and celebrate the bountiful strawberry harvest, a $1.1 billion industry in Hillsborough County alone; and
WHEREAS, each year, the Florida Strawberry Festival draws, entertains, and enlightens over 600,000 local residents and visitors from around the world, introducing them to Plant City agriculture, arts, businesses, horticulture, and industry; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Strawberry Festival has long been recognized as the No. 1 fair or festival in Florida, as well as one of the top 35 events in North America, a true destination where people enjoy some of the world’s top entertainment, educational exhibits, friendly competitions, and attractions; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Strawberry Festival Board of Directors, Festival Chair Pam Warnock, President Kyle Robinson, and many local volunteers and civic organizations devote countless hours to the success of this premiere event; and
WHEREAS, 2026 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen Layla Rothman, First Maid Marley Mueller, Court Member Cadence Cape, Court Member Addison Griffin, and Court Member Addison Pope serve as the Festival’s goodwill ambassadors; and
WHEREAS, this year’s theme, Still Growing, beautifully describes the Festival and community, each year drawing more visitors, adding rides, attractions, agriculture, and livestock shows, and expanding the production of strawberries that make Plant City special; and
WHEREAS, the 91st Florida Strawberry Festival features such headline entertainment as Forrest Frank, Alabama, Riley Green, Dierks Bentley, Ty Myers, Lonestar, and many more, in addition to the BERRY Big Wheel celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, and the Neighborhood Village, dedicated to homemade and handcrafted items made by locals,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED that the Board of County Commissioners of Hillsborough County, Florida does hereby declare February 26 through March 8, 2026 as
Florida Strawberry Festival Days
in Hillsborough County, encourages everyone to celebrate the festival’s rich heritage and the strawberry harvest that greatly contributes to the community, region, and state, and hopes everybody has a grand time at BerryFest26.
The Official Hillsborough County, Florida Government YouTube channel is powered by Hillsborough Television (HTV), find more of our programming at these outlets:
Hillsborough County, Florida cable TV subscribers can view us on:
Frontier - Ch. 22
Spectrum - Ch. 637
Also view us on:
LIVE: hillsboroughcounty.granicus.com/player/camera/2?
VOD: hillsboroughcounty.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1
The Official Hillsborough County, Florida Government Website:
HCFL.gov
Become a fan of Hillsborough County, Florida on Facebook at...
facebook.com/hillsboroughFL
Follow Hillsborough County, Florida on Twitter at...
twitter.com/hillsboroughFL
By commenting in this forum, you give Hillsborough County (and the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System) the right to reproduce, distribute, publish, display, edit, modify, and create derivative works from, and otherwise use, your submission for any purpose in any form and on any media. Comments that include the following will be hidden/removed and may lead to a user being banned from participation in our social media outlets:
Advertisements or solicitations
Repeated instances of the same post (spam)
Malicious links
Material that infringes on the rights of any third party, including intellectual property, privacy or publicity rights
Personal attacks against others, including Commissioners or staff members
Sensitive materials including, but not limited to: illegal activities, gambling, sexually explicit materials, weapons, drugs, violence, inappropriate language, racial, discriminatory comments, defamatory statements, partisan political positions, and religious positions.
WHEREAS, Plant City is the winter strawberry capital of the world, with about 13,000 acres grown annually by members of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association; and
WHEREAS, since 1930, the Florida Strawberry Festival has united the community by bringing together people to honor farmers and celebrate the bountiful strawberry harvest, a $1.1 billion industry in Hillsborough County alone; and
WHEREAS, each year, the Florida Strawberry Festival draws, entertains, and enlightens over 600,000 local residents and visitors from around the world, introducing them to Plant City agriculture, arts, businesses, horticulture, and industry; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Strawberry Festival has long been recognized as the No. 1 fair or festival in Florida, as well as one of the top 35 events in North America, a true destination where people enjoy some of the world’s top entertainment, educational exhibits, friendly competitions, and attractions; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Strawberry Festival Board of Directors, Festival Chair Pam Warnock, President Kyle Robinson, and many local volunteers and civic organizations devote countless hours to the success of this premiere event; and
WHEREAS, 2026 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen Layla Rothman, First Maid Marley Mueller, Court Member Cadence Cape, Court Member Addison Griffin, and Court Member Addison Pope serve as the Festival’s goodwill ambassadors; and
WHEREAS, this year’s theme, Still Growing, beautifully describes the Festival and community, each year drawing more visitors, adding rides, attractions, agriculture, and livestock shows, and expanding the production of strawberries that make Plant City special; and
WHEREAS, the 91st Florida Strawberry Festival features such headline entertainment as Forrest Frank, Alabama, Riley Green, Dierks Bentley, Ty Myers, Lonestar, and many more, in addition to the BERRY Big Wheel celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, and the Neighborhood Village, dedicated to homemade and handcrafted items made by locals,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED that the Board of County Commissioners of Hillsborough County, Florida does hereby declare February 26 through March 8, 2026 as
Florida Strawberry Festival Days
in Hillsborough County, encourages everyone to celebrate the festival’s rich heritage and the strawberry harvest that greatly contributes to the community, region, and state, and hopes everybody has a grand time at BerryFest26.
The Official Hillsborough County, Florida Government YouTube channel is powered by Hillsborough Television (HTV), find more of our programming at these outlets:
Hillsborough County, Florida cable TV subscribers can view us on:
Frontier - Ch. 22
Spectrum - Ch. 637
Also view us on:
LIVE: hillsboroughcounty.granicus.com/player/camera/2?
VOD: hillsboroughcounty.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1
The Official Hillsborough County, Florida Government Website:
HCFL.gov
Become a fan of Hillsborough County, Florida on Facebook at...
facebook.com/hillsboroughFL
Follow Hillsborough County, Florida on Twitter at...
twitter.com/hillsboroughFL
By commenting in this forum, you give Hillsborough County (and the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System) the right to reproduce, distribute, publish, display, edit, modify, and create derivative works from, and otherwise use, your submission for any purpose in any form and on any media. Comments that include the following will be hidden/removed and may lead to a user being banned from participation in our social media outlets:
Advertisements or solicitations
Repeated instances of the same post (spam)
Malicious links
Material that infringes on the rights of any third party, including intellectual property, privacy or publicity rights
Personal attacks against others, including Commissioners or staff members
Sensitive materials including, but not limited to: illegal activities, gambling, sexually explicit materials, weapons, drugs, violence, inappropriate language, racial, discriminatory comments, defamatory statements, partisan political positions, and religious positions.
